The Crystal Ball
by Taye Blanchet
Summary: A new member of the Hogwarts school with a hidden past, and Harry has to be the one to try and find out... But Ron gets there first. This is My first ever HP Fanfic so be nice!
1. Disclaimers

**Sorry I forgot my disclaimers:**

I own none of the characters except Felicity, other than that the all belong to the wonderful JK Rowling J


	2. Chapter 1 Happy Birthday Harry!

**Harry Potter and the crystal ball.**

**Chapter 1.**

**Happy Birthday Harry!******

****

          Harry was having the best years of his life.  He lived with the Weasley's and he shared is little fortune with them. His 15th birthday was soon approaching. He wasn't expecting anything, as he knew the Weasley's didn't have that much money.

          "Hey Harry!" It was Fred and George the Weasley twins. " We're on are way up to Diagon Alley. Want to come?"

          "Ummmm I don't know if Ron's coming."

          "You don't have to wait for him,"

          "I'm not sure. May be later."

          "O.k. see you later then."

          Harry was daydreaming.  Dreaming of the day he went back to school.  He was looking forward to seeing a certain person, her face swimming in his mind '_I wonder why she kissed me last year?_'  Ron's father interrupted his thoughts.

"Hullo Harry! What are you doing then?"

          "Just thinking. I was wondering if I could… oh never mind."

          Well, Molly's not well so I'm working extra hard.  Would you and Ron mind looking after Ginny?" Ginny was the youngest of the Weasley's and was in the Fourth year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

          "I don't mind… RON!"

          "Yawn" Ron yawned massively as he came downstairs. "Yeah Harry?"

 "Would you mind looking after Ginny while your Dad's at work?"

          "No. As long as I don't have to help look after Mum as well!"

          "Are you O.K. Ron? You look really tired." 

"Well I've been up all night with mum not feeling well and all… Harry would you mind looking after Ginny while I get a few more hours sleep?"

"I don't mind at all. Well enjoy your nap." He couldn't see why Ginny couldn't look after herself though.  Harry walked up with Ron to their room. Ron flopped onto his bed.

          "Harry? I can't keep this inside me any longer."

          "What?"

          "Well, I know you and Parvati are really good friends. Well I really, really fancy…"

 " Her sister Padma Patil. I know you talking about her in your sleep.  You were saying how you couldn't wait to get back to school to see her and to ask her out." Ron's ears went incredibly bright pink.  

          "Oh my God! How embarrassing! I… I talked about her in my sleep?"

          "Yeah and I think Fred And George heard you as well!" 

          "So when we go back to school do you think I should ask her out?"

"Well if it was me I would leave it a while, you know a couple of weeks into the term." Harry was feeling very embarrassed he couldn't tell Ron who he liked.  He also felt ashamed that he couldn't even tell his best friend.  "Well I'll see you later I better get some breakfast for Ginny and me"

          A few minutes later the post had arrived.  Hedwig was eating some of Harry's bacon and Ginny was reading the paper.

"Ginny there's a letter here for you. Oh and one for me!" The letter said:

_Dear Harry,_

_       I hear from Ron that you have been acting very strange lately._

_I hope you are all right. As you know we will be able to have _

_2 extra free periods, one on Tuesday and the other on Friday._

_I was wondering, on the Tuesday would you like to start up_

_a small business in Hogsmeade? We cold sell sweets or toys or_

_We could try and get a job at Honeydukes or the Three Broomsticks._

_What do you say? Send me an owl with a reply._

_Lots of love _

_Hermione._

_x.x.x_

Harry felt warm with the words '_lots of love'.  _But it wasn't as if she'd never written that before.  Then He realised he loved her even more.

          "Harry? Who sent you that letter?" Asked Ginny.

          " Oh Just Hermione." Answered Harry casually while stroking Hedwig who was hooting with delight.  

          "Does Ron Fancy Padma Patil?" Ginny asked very quickly.

          "You know about that?"

          "Well I sort of over heard when I went past your room."

          "Don't tell Ron, because he'll think I told you."

Ginny went back to reading the paper.  "Later when Ron is up we'll go to Diagon alley. O.K.?"

          "Yeah fine with me."

Harry wrote a reply to Hermione.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I'd love to work with you. I've just thought how about_

_Working in Zonko's joke shop? I don't know why Ron_

Said I was acting strange, it's him been who's acting 

_Strange.  Meet me in Diagon Alley on the 31st of August_

_And we can do some start of term shopping with_

_Ron._

_Send me an owl with an answer,_

Lots of love 

_Harry._

*

          On the 18th of July no one apart from Harry was in the house.  Harry trudged into the kitchen where Hedwig had been patiently waiting for him.  There were at least six or seven parcels. Harry glanced at the calendar and he saw that today was his birthday!

          The first parcel was from Hagrid, the Hogwart's gamekeeper.  Inside was a pair of giant gardening gloves for Herbology and some of Hagrid's home made rock cakes with a letter:

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope you have a really good birthday. At least_

_This year isn't wiv 'em Dursleys._

_See yer at school._

_Love Hagrid._

Harry smiled.  The next parcel had curly emerald writing on it.  He knew straight away this was from professor Dumbledore.  He opened the parcel and there was a pair of green socks!  This had been his and Harry's joke since his first year at Hogwart's.  

          Ron walked in to the house.

          "Mornin' Harry.  I'm sorry I didn't get you up.  I've had to de-gnome the garden for Mum, _again._ Well Happy Birthday! Have you opened your present from me yet?"

          "No. I hadn't really got that far.  Which one is it?"

          "That on there in the silver paper." Harry opened it to find a gold card with flashing lights like a muggle disco. Ron had got special permission from Hogwarts to do that enchantment because they weren't allowed to do magic during the holidays.  Also in the present there was whole box of chocolate frogs.

          "All I need now is Agrippa." Harry bit the first frog to find another Dumbledore.  He picked up another one and offered one to Ron "Oh my God I've got him! Now I've got the full set. Yes!"  Ron was pleased Harry had finished because now they could both help Ginny collect them.  The rest of the presents were from:

Mr. And Mrs. Weasley and Percy a new magic notebook. (That never ran out of paper!)

Hermione A Broom clipper, 20 galleons and a box of Bertie Bott's every-flavour beans.

Fred, George and Ginny a voucher for Zonko's joke shop and Honeyduke's sweet shop.

And Last of all, Sirius Black and Buckbeak 25 sickles.

*

It was the 31st of August. Harry and Ron were waiting for Hermione outside Florean Fortescue's ice-cream parlour.

          "Hey Guys!" Hermione had turned up "I hope you enjoyed your birthday?" Hermione's voice was like silk to his ears.  He suddenly felt uneasy and was embarrassed.  He couldn't tell Ron _he _fancied Hermione.          "Yeah. I had a real nice birthday thanks."

          "Harry? Can I talk to you about the owl I sent you?"

          "Yeah sure. When?"

          "Before you go home."

          "O.K." Harry said quietly "How can I talk to you with him around? He might get suspicious of something."

          "Well if we send him off to get an ice cream now or in a shop while he's buying something." Ron was fed up with waiting and he suddenly shouted,

          "For crying out loud! Are we going to stand around like Dementors all day or what?" They all went in to Flourish and Blotts and bought their books and refills of other equipment for next term.  They were going to be:

The Standard book of spells (grade 5) by Miranda Goshawk 

_Mummies, monsters and other creeps by Cleo Batwing_

_Studying the Crystal Ball By Sybill Trelawney_

_The history of The Dark Arts By R.J Lupin._

There were lots of other books and Harry complained.

          "I don't want to have to waste all my money on these. I've got better things to by with it. 

          While Ron was getting the ice creams Harry and Hermione were coming up with wild and impossible ideas.

          "We could melt down stick-your-jaw-together toffees and make it into a smoothie." Harry's ideas were somewhat more adventurous than Hermione's.

          "Or we could get some plain muggle chocolate and melt that, conjure up some ice-cream and make a massive sundae."

          "God that is sooooo boring!" Harry nudged Hermione in the ribs to tell her Ron was on his way back.

          "God. Anybody would think you two were going out you talk that much!" Harry and Hermione smiled weakly at this comment.


	3. Chapter 2 The Return to Hogwarts

**Chapter two: **

**The return to Hogwart's school.**

****

****

          The Weasley's and Harry arrived at the familiar scene of King's Cross-station.  Harry remembered his first time going through the barrier.  You had to run right at the wall in between platforms nine and ten to get to platform 9 ¾.

          "Ron, you and Harry go first. George and Fred you follow and then Ginny and myself with come through." Ordered Mrs. Weasley.  Harry used to dread having to run through the barrier but now he was used to it.

 Once they were on the train Harry suddenly realised that he was starving but he didn't want to get up to get food just for himself.  Ginny and Hermione were in fits of laughter as Fred and George were doing impressions of teachers.  Fred was the best though with his impression of Professor Snape

"Harry Potter, My, my, my sneaking around the castle in the dead of night _again_!"  That was it everyone couldn't control himself or herself any longer there were cries of laughter even from Harry who was having the Mickey taken out of him.  The lady with the food trolley came in and everyone fell silent.  She wasn't very impressed.

"I hope you don't do anything like that again while you're on this train or I'll report Professor Snape himself.  Well what will you be having?"

"Pumpkin juice and a pasty for me" Hermione said promptly.

          "I'll have ummmm, a packet of Drooble's Best blowing gum and do you have any butter beer?"

          "Sorry love, only toffee."

          "Oh I'll have that then." Sighed Ron.

          " You know what me and Fred want don't you?!"

          " Let me guess the same as Ron except double?"

          "You've got it!"

          "What would you like my dear?" Said the lady turning to Ginny.  Ginny went as red as her hair.

          "I won't have anything thank-you. I don't have enough."

          "I'll pay for you don't worry." Harry said almost immediately.

          "Thank-you Harry"

          "What do you want then?" Asked the lady.

          "The same as Hermione please."

          "And the same here and 1 of everything on the trolley please." Said Harry.  They all paid their money. Hermione went and sat in the corner to talk about '_girly_' Stuff. While Ron, Fred, George and Harry went and sat at the table by the window and ate Harry's food while talking.

          "What do you think those two talk about?" said Fred mischievously.

          "I bet they talk about us." Said George puffing out his chest.

*

          "What do you think those four talk about?" said Ginny.

          "I don't know. Maybe what silly tricks to do next…"

          "Or maybe they talk about us!" Ginny was clutching her sides and rolling on the floor with laughter. "God I crack me up!"

          "Ginny, you know you're one of my best friends…"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well I need to tell you something."

"Go on, you know you can tell me anything."

"Well I don't want you telling anyone…"

"You know I won't."

"Well, me and Harry are going to start a small business together. But we don't want to tell Ron.  Rather I don't. It's just that I want some time alone with Harry." Always full with all the right words for the right occasion Ginny replied,

"It's only because… how do I put this… You're 15 of course you want more time with boys.  I know you and Harry are close but I don't think he fancies you I think he respects you as a friend."

"I can't help it. All my friends fancy him as well.  No offence to Ron though it's just we're leaving school soon and I want to know how Harry really feels about me."

"If he doesn't feel the same then your going to look a right plonker aren't you?"

"Yeah but it's best he knows how I feel though isn't it?"

"I suppose."

The boys were all coming up with stupid ideas and then Fred and George started picking on Harry just for a laugh.

          "I reckon I know what they talk about… HARRY!!!!"

          "Yeah and I bet Ginny is swimming in ideas to ask him out!"

          "You're not funny you idiots!" Harry jumped up and started yelling "You think you are sooooo funny but you're not. I'm fed up with you teasing me!"

          "We only ment it as a joke Harry!" said George defensively.

          "Yeah well it didn't seem like it.  Next time I mean it." The train was moving very fast. The trees were getting thicker by the minute.  Hermione and Harry were talking on their own and once again Fred and George had got the wrong idea.

          "Oi Fred look, Harry's trying to chat up Hermione!!"

          "Yeah and he's not making a very good job of it!!"

          "That's It!!!!" Harry got up walked over to Fred because he was nearest and punched him.  George punched Harry for punching Fred and Harry punched him back.  Really soon everyone, except Hermione and Ginny, was involved. Hermione lost her control.

          "Look at you!! You're rolling round on the floor like little ten-year- olds. We're supposed to be fifteen-year-olds but nooooo you would behave like babies. I was talking to Harry he wasn't talking to me.  And besides we wouldn't go out with each other because we're friends…"

          "It was only a joke Hermione…"

          "I don't bloody care!  We know something that no one apart from Harry and me know and it's really, really serious. Come on Ginny lets go and find somewhere quiet." But there was no time for going off because the train was slowing down as they reached Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry


	4. Chapter 3 The Big Surprise

**Chapter 3.**

**The Big Surprise.******

          Once the train had stopped completely, Harry could hear the friendly voice of Hagrid.

          "'Firs'-years! 'Firs'-years over here!" Harry was really pleased to be back at Hogwarts.  This was because he could stare at the girl he fancied all day long.  Professor McGonagall was also there on the platform. 

          "Fifth years over here please!" She was holding a leaflet.  Each one as soon as its receiver was near magically flew over to them.  Harry opened his

_Dear Mr. Harry Potter,_

_You are invited to attend the beginning of term ball tomorrow evening at 7'o clock. Please wear dress robes. This will be a new tradition as well as the feast at the beginning of term_

_Thank you_

_Professor Dumbledore._

Harry looked around.  He knew whom Ron was going to ask. He wondered about Hermione.  Last year when there was a dance she had gone with Viktor Krum, the world famous Quidditch player.  But he wasn't here this year. He went up to Hermione and said,

          "Hermione… would you like to go to the start-of-term ball?"

          "I'd love to. But I thought that after all that trouble with Rita Skeeter you'd never ask." The year before a news reporter from the Daily Prophet had written about Harry and Hermione being an 'item'. Hermione always got tense around the Slytherin girls because they had been saying she was ugly, but there was no time to comment on this because a flash of green lightning came shooting past Harry, which hit someone else. Harry knew who had shot the green light.

          "Lord Voldemort!" Said Harry, "He's back like I said!" And it had hit Padma Patil. The look on Ron's face was twisted with anger, panic, pain and sorrow. He turned to Harry and said

          "That's the same curse he used on your Mum and Dad and now Padma's dead!" Hermione started to cry no one knew what to do…


	5. Chapter 4 The start of term Ball

**Chapter 4.**

**The start of Term ball.**

****

Ron was right about the curse.  In fact it was one of the three "Unforgivable curses". It was the one that killed Harry's parents. What Harry couldn't stand to see was Ron's face when it hit her. All Ron could say was

          "I just can't believe she's gone. That evening the news had soon spread about the death. Harry felt mega sorry for Parvati. Hermione was upset as well and it even seemed to of affected the Slytherin girls.  The dance wasn't that 'Happy' this year.   Hermione didn't want to dance, Ron didn't want to eat, drink or dance and Parvati was missing all together.

          "I know that curse was aimed at me Ron… But if I hadn't moved out the way I would have been killed, but then again if I hadn't moved… you know what wouldn't have happened."

          "Mmm, I know. I'm not blaming you though Harry, I'm blaming You-know-who. And when they finally get the git they'll…"

          "End up like Padma. Look Ron I killed him off last time and I thought Lupin and Snape had killed worm tail off but I was wrong."

          "Well you hadn't actually killed You-know-who off you had temporarily weakened him." Interrupted Hermione.  She whispered something in Ron's ear and he nodded. "Harry… if you wouldn't mind can I dance with Ron?"

          Yeah, Ok as long as I can have a dance later."

          "Fine with me!" She winked at Harry.  Hermione was a good friend and Harry could tell she was dancing with Ron because his partner had, well been killed.  Harry knew how devastated he was; after all he had lost his parents which are a lot closer, than a girlfriend would ever be.

          Later that evening when Harry had his dance with Hermione, they went into the specially lit up garden for a walk.

"I feel so sorry for Ron.  He really liked Padma and now she's gone." Said Hermione.

"Yeah.  I know.  What were you two talking about while you were dancing?"

"Oh you'll have to wait and see about that one! … Anyway, did you notice a new face in the hall tonight?"

"No." Harry hadn't really been paying attention.  He was to wrapped up in the thoughts of Lord Voldemort.

"Well thanks for taking me to the ball tonight Harry." Hermione said softly as they approached the House tower. 

_"This is perfect_." Harry thought to himself, _"Now I can tell her how I feel."_

"I have something to tell you Hermione…" he started. " I………"

"Hi guys." Said Ron droopily as he approached the house door.

_"Damn." _Harry thought_ " Never mind I'll tell her later."_  Harry was so desperate to tell Hermione how he felt but no matter how he tried, he couldn't bring himself to say it.  Little did he know, that she felt the same way.

*

        The following morning they were given their new timetables and Harry and Hermione had received an extra letter each.  

Would you please come and meet me I my office as soon as the bell goes.  Miss. Granger should also accompany you.

_Professor McGonagall_

        "We've got to go and see McGonagall afterwards."

          "I know…ooooh! That's right at the beginning of my Arithmancy class."  Harry smiled, he was happy as he got to miss the beginning of Divination.

          "Right, I'll see you in a bit." he said to Ron.

          "K." Replied Ron through a mouthful of toast.

Harry walked silently with Hermione.  As they approached Professor McGonagall's office she stepped outside and as she spotted them she said,

          "You first Potter."  He walked slowly into her office.  The only times he'd been here was when he was in loads of trouble. "Right, what I've called you up here for is to tell you that Hagrid has asked for special permission that you miss your potions and divination lessons this afternoon."  Harry tried not to look as if he was over thrilled but he knew from the look in his eyes professor Mcgonagall could tell.  She faintly smiled and said

          "Well, go on then! Off to see Hagrid!!"  Harry decided to wait for Hermione, as the bell hadn't gone yet.  After about 5 minutes she came out looking very smug.

          "I have a very important job to do.  And I have to go to the main hall for it" They walked once again in silence.  


End file.
